


Aquarium

by HeylelAndGoldenWings



Series: The Avenger Babies [9]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Baby!Tony, Bucky is a brat, Bucky is a little shit, Bucky is mean, Daddy!Steve, Little!Bucky - Freeform, Little!Tony, M/M, Non-Sexual Age Play, Other, Papa!Bucky, They go to an aquarium, aquarium, beluga, he has a beluga stuffed animal, he loves belugas, i mentioned it in the first book and then never again, non sexual age play, there's a beluga, tony stark just wants to pet the whales
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-11
Updated: 2019-02-11
Packaged: 2019-10-26 09:25:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,698
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17743256
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HeylelAndGoldenWings/pseuds/HeylelAndGoldenWings
Summary: Tony Stark takes a certain liking to the whales at the aquarium.  Too bad Bucky wants a chance to pet them, too.





	Aquarium

 

It’s Steve’s idea.  Usually, he likes to use his own money to buy Tony things- and, when Bucky was feeling little, him, too.  But with this he just  _ can’t.   _ Still, he knows Tony would like it, and so he decides he’ll just have to bring it up to him while he’s still in his big headspace.  

 

So that’s what he does.   And Tony willingly agrees.

 

Which is why they’re here, at the Aquarium, rented out so it was only the three of them and some workers who were forced to sign a thing or another.   Tony clutches Steve’s hand nervously, Bucky on the other side, lost in his own little world.

 

“Daddy, they’re like Belugie,” Tony speaks after a while, pointing at the big white whales.  “My stuffed animal.”

 

Steve nods.  Belugie, of course, is Tony’s favorite stuffed animal.  **(n/a i mentioned this in the very first little fic i wrote but never really mentioned it again.. We gon bring it back :))** “They’re terrifying,” Steve objects after a moment, but quickly leans down to plant a kiss on Tony’s cheek when he sees his little boy’s eyes begin to water.  “But cute… they’re cute, baby,” he adds. “Just as cute as Belugie. Even though…. He is very well loved and… worn down.” 

 

“I want to touch one,” Tony decides.  “They have them. Beluga Encounters, it says.  Pleaseeee, Daddy.” He lowers his voice so he won’t draw attention.  “I’ll pay you back.” Steve ponders this for a moment. $200. He hates for Tony to have to pay him back, but-

 

“I wanna touch one too,” Bucky pipes up.  “They look cool. Their heads jiggle. See!”  He giggles when one of the whales opens its mouth and its head wobbles back and forth.  “See, see!”

 

Tony shrieks in delight, placing his hand against the glass and staring up in wonder.  Shit, Steve can’t pay for both of them. He doesn’t have that kind of money to just throw around.   He bites his lip anxiously and glances around.

 

“What about another day?” He crouches low, whispering to Tony and Bucky.  Tony’s mouth falls open in a gasp and Bucky pouts. After a long stare down, Tony nods sadly, shoulders sagging.  

 

“Yes, Daddy,” he mumbles.  It breaks Steve’s heart to see his baby so sad, but there isn’t anything else he can do.

 

Bucky, however, stomps his foot on the ground.  “No,” he grumbles. “I want to see them  _ now. _ ”

 

“You can see them, they’re right there, sweetie,” Steve shushes him.  “Next weekend. Can you just wait a week? Please?” He was never good at telling either of them no.  

 

Bucky shakes his head.  “Nuh uh. I want to touch one now.”  His voice is raising, which is just making Tony worried and Steve frustrated.  Tony burrows into Steve’s side and decidedly drowns out the argument by turning to watch the Belugas some more.

 

Steve reaches out a hand and places it in Bucky’s.  “C’mon, angel,” he tries. “I can’t afford it right now,” he admits.  “Not for the both of you.”

 

“Then make Tony wait and let me,” Bucky spits, rolling his eyes.   “He’s a brat anyway.” Tony flinches, but other than that doesn’t show he heard.  

 

“We don’t say those things,” Steve growls.  “That’s it. We’re leaving.  _ You’re  _ being a brat.”

 

“Fuck you!” Bucky shouts.

 

“James Buchanan Barnes.  I’ll make a deal with you.  If you stop talking and let us get out of those doors  without any further issues, I’ll buy you a whale stuffed animal and next week I’ll pay for your Beluga Encounter.  If you throw even more of a tantrum, you aren’t touching the whales  _ or  _ getting a stuffed animal.  Do I make myself clear?” It’s all Steve can think to do.  He rubs Tony’s back, but there isn’t much he can say in comfort.  Bucky can be mean when he’s in little space- that’s just how it works. 

 

Bucky pouts, angry tears slipping passed his eyes, but he finally agrees with a quick nod.  Steve takes his hand and leads them both to the gift shop, where he lets Bucky pick out a stuffed animal.  It’s a small Beluga- definitely smaller than Belugie- and after he’s picked it out, Bucky proudly raises it up and names it Misty.  Tony stays silent, and Steve offers to buy him one, too. Tony just shrugs and then shakes his head.

 

Once they’re home, Steve sends Bucky off to his room and picks Tony up carefully, lathering him with kisses.  “Baby,” he coos. “Bucky loves you. He just gets frustrated easily.”

 

“I know,” Tony murmurs, clutching onto Steve tightly.  “‘S fine. Love him anyway. Just… like him more when he’s my Papa.”  

 

Steve laughs before setting Tony down.  “Don’t let him catch ya saying that, sweetiepie.”

 

“I won’t,” Tony promises, and then plops down onto the couch.  

 

“I’m gonna go… have a few words with Bucky.  Stay here, sunshine, and I’ll be back right away.”

 

Tony cuddles up against the couch, listening for any shouts.  At first all he can hear is low voices, too quiet to make out, but after a few minutes the voices become yells.  

 

Usually, when Bucky is in little space… he’s not too nice.  Which is okay. Tony gets it. Bucky is the toddler and he’s the stupid baby.  He  _ gets  _ it.  But it still hurts, especially with the whole Natasha ordeal fresh on his mind, and he can’t help but assume that maybe Bucky thinks he’s a brat no matter what headspace he’s in.  

 

Stupid.  He just wanted to touch the whales, and  _ this  _ is what it gets him.  Two arguing boyfriends and one sleepy baby.  Tony yawns, holding Belugie closer and giving him a small kiss on the head. 

 

Eventually the bickering dies down, and Bucky strolls out of his room, frown on his face and in his eyes.  “Hey, little soldier. I’m so sorry.”

 

Tony isn’t in the mood for more crying, so he just blinks and motions for Bucky to come snuggle with him.  Bucky does instantly, situating Tony onto his lap. “Next weekend you’re gonna go see the whales, and I think I’m gonna stay here,” he says softly.

 

“But you wanted to see ‘em,” Tony argues, voice weak with confusion.

 

“Ah, not really.  I just wanted to be a jerk.”  He ruffles Tony’s hair. “You must be a very tired baby after that, huh?”  Tony nods.

 

Bucky stands, lifting Tony up along with him. “Bed time?” Tony asks hopefully. Bucky nods in confirmation. 

 

Steve is waiting with an adoring smile on his face. 

 

***

 

Tony is led into the enclosure. He’s in big headspace now- Steve said he probably should be- and he casts the woman trainer a grin. 

 

“Never thought Tony Stark would want to meet the whales,” she jokes. “But I guess you  _ do _ have the money for it.”

 

“Well, I have to treat myself  _ sometimes,  _ now don’t I?” Tony hums. 

 

She rolls her eyes fondly, and then motions for a whale. “This is Rascal, Rascal, say hi to Mr. Stark!”  She waves at the whale, and after a moment of processing the whale flips onto its side and waves one fin back. Tony likes him- he seems sweet and playful, and Tony can’t help but grin and laugh as the trainer shows him some of the basics. 

 

After a while of simple play, the pretty red-head turns back to him. “Now, splash him.”

 

Tony raises one eyebrow in question, but doesn’t object. He splashes the whale as told, and just as soon as he does so he’s being splashed by the  _ whale.  _ He has to hold in a happy little scream and remind himself not to fall into little space until  _ after _ the experience is done. 

 

Towards the end (and it ends all too soon), the girl sets Tony up so that he can get a picture kissing the whale and vice versa. 

 

He clutches the freshly-printed pictures gently in his hands and practically skips to Steve. “We can go,” he announces, pulling Steve to the car so he can get back to the Facility and share his experience with Bucky as soon as possible. 

  
  


Once they reach the Facility, he makes them both sit down at the table. Bucky watches with a happy but calculated gaze, like he’s thinking something important but doesn’t want to speak. 

 

Tony chooses to ignore it. 

 

“It was so cool!” He exclaims. “Look, I have pictures.”  Tony sets the two pictures out on the table. “His name was Rascal n he was so nice. He waved at me and splashed me and gave me a big kiss.”  Tony pointed to the picture. 

 

Bucky leans over a little, resting his chin in his hands, eyes soft. “Cool, Tones.”

 

Tony frowns. “Papa not like?”

 

“Oh, no, no.”  Bucky sends a nervous look at Steve. “Jus’...”

 

“Oh,” Tony realizes.  “Buck, wanna play with Belugie and Misty?”

 

“Yeah!” Bucky leaps up and the chair goes crashing to the floor. Daddy rolls his eyes fondly. Sure, maybe the two of them argue a lot, but he loves the moments when they’re as close as can be. 

 

“I’ll hang your pictures up in our room, Angel,” Steve calls after Tony as he scampers off to the living room to play Whales or Whatever. 

 

He crouches down to pick the chair up, then collects the pictures and heads to their bedroom. 

 

After he’s done hanging them up, he wanders back to the living room. Heaven knows if he left them alone too long what would happen. 

 

Surprisingly, instead of a knife and a strong metal hand and lots of shouting (like usual) there’s just two little boys sitting on the floor, clutching their whales. Bucky is talking and waving one hand, and Tony is nodding. 

 

“Yeah, yeah!” Tony agrees cheerily. “Okay, so Misty is… heir to the… the throne.  N Belugie is their father. But… who’s gon be the enemy?”

 

“Daddy!” Bucky announces. “Daddy is the enemy,  _ duh. _ ”

 

Steve raises an eyebrow, but can’t help but smile. “That’s not very fair,” he teases. “I don’t have a whale.”

 

“Silly, you  _ are  _ the whale.”

 

Steve lets out a low laugh. God, is he happy he found them. 

 


End file.
